


Sensible Precautions

by Nadat



Category: Dragon Age
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-22
Updated: 2012-05-22
Packaged: 2017-11-05 20:34:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/410744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nadat/pseuds/Nadat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of All That Remains, Meredith sees an opening and speaks with Orsino.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sensible Precautions

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for the quest All That Remains.

Horror and possibility mingled in Meredith’s mind as she read the report. The Champion’s mother was dead, killed by a blood mage, a blood mage who had long been an apostate. There was no question about the Templars failing here. They’d failed to recapture one of the Starkhaven mages and now several civilians had paid the ultimate price. There was nothing Meredith could do to repair this.

But she could use it.

Meredith leaned back in her chair, thinking quickly. Right now there had to be a great deal of anti-mage sentiment. All of the victims were women, and that, for some reason, tended to draw more sympathy than when men fell to abnormal ends. She didn’t fully understand this. A victim was a victim, unless they were a criminal. Then it was justice.

She couldn’t approach Hawke, not yet. He would know that she was attempting political maneuvers, not trying to help him. But she could go to the First Enchanter. What concessions would this revelation lead to? And the letter that the Champion had found... they pointed to another mage assisting him, one with connections that might well require them to still be in the Circle. It wasn’t proof of blood magic, but it was close enough.

As she stood, Meredith felt mostly triumphant. Of late she and Orsino had been clashing all the more and this would give her an advantage in their arguments. There was, though, a small bit of disappointment. These deaths, the deaths of most civilians, were not the fault of Orsino. He worked hard and Meredith was aware of this, no matter what she said. There was no room for such an admission, though. If she weakened now, how much more damage would magic do in this city? The path was set before her, and she already knew its contours. To abandon it was to allow chaos to grow.

A mage was in the hallway when Meredith emerged from her office. His robes were those of a Senior Enchanter, but she couldn’t recall his name. He must be one of the newer ones. The Templars in the hall came to attention in case she was headed anywhere, but she waved them off. She was in no danger. And that itself was a strange thought. The First Enchanter could likely use a few spells without warning, could rig his office with protective enchantments, and yet she walked in without fear. It was not the knowledge that she could fight that kept any worries from crossing it. It was the knowledge, gained over the years of knowing Orsino, that he would not simply lash out and attack. He was no fool. He was not weak. What would Kirkwall be if the other mages followed his example? Far better. But now was not the time for such thoughts. She had an advantage and it was time to use it.

She didn’t knock. She never did. From her first days as a Templar it had been drilled into her that a Templar did not need to knock, and in fact should not. Most mages didn’t have doors, but those that did should not be so used to them that they felt they could get up to anything in their rooms. That was an invitation for blood magic.

“First Enchanter.” Meredith didn’t need to address him, but she did anyway. Orsino had earned his title and she wouldn’t dismiss it.

He was already looking up. “Knight-Commander.” Waving a hand, he dismissed the other Senior Enchanter from his office. Therese, if Meredith remembered the name right. Very skilled with Creation magic, exceptionally poor with anything else. Often loaned to the Chantry. Often disappointed when she returned to the Circle, but she hid it rather well.

Therese curtsied, giving Orsino a worried glance before departing. Meredith closed the door behind the woman, crossing her arms.

There was frustration in Orsino’s eyes. Meredith waited a few moments; it could only build and make him less prepared for this discussion. Finally he clearly had enough, straightening in his seat. “What was it that you wanted?”

That was a good start, though it was a given she would only come in if there was a reason. “Leandra Hawke died last night in Lowtown.” Meredith paused, allowing him enough time to wonder why she was bringing this up, before continuing. “She was killed by a blood mage. Quentin, formerly of the Starkhaven Circle.”

There it was, the look in his eyes that came so often nowadays, the weariness that so often plagued her. It was only fair for him to feel that weight on his shoulders as well. And now it was time to drive the point home. “There were letters from another mage supporting him. The connections that mage implied require them to still be in the circle.”

Orsino closed his eyes and Meredith let him. It was a heavy thing to process, especially when he had to know this meant additional restrictions were coming. 

“And?” he said at last.

“We must of course act, to reassure the public that the mages in the Circle are not free to cause harm like this. They do not need to know he had an ally within your walls, First Enchanter. And we will flush out this ally. They signed the letter with a letter. O. There are too many with names that start in such a manner to sequester, and it could be an alias, so we will simply have to restrict every mage.”

Clearly she’d hit a nerve. Orsino got to his feet, hands fisted so hard that his knuckles were going white. “Have you not restricted us enough already? How many unscheduled patrols that through the dorms? How many classes have been cut down because they may lead to thoughts you do not want my mages to have? You cannot add more!”

Meredith raised an eyebrow. “I can and I must. Clearly the measures that have been taken are not enough.” What would be drastic enough? It needed to control... “All mages will be locked into their cells at night. During the day, they are restricted to their halls alone. Should one be seen attempting to flout this new rule, they will be flogged.”

He slammed a fist against the desk. “You are going too far! You are pushing, and pushing, and sooner or later you will see people break! We can only take so much, and you are punishing all for the error of one!”

“Two, First Enchanter, and one of them will be in the punished group. This is guaranteed.” Or close enough. “The people will clamor for more protection, and this will give it to them. Further, the Champion himself will seek further control. How could he not? His own mother, struck down by a blood mage.”

As Orsino closed his eyes to, likely, gather his thoughts, Meredith noted that he looked tired. It was one of the few times that it had been apparent. Perhaps it was that she was proven right again. He could rail against her accusations all he liked, defend the mages vocally until his voice ran out, and it would get him nowhere so long as mages continued to turn to blood magic or give in to the voices of demons.

Orsino looked up. “We are not common criminals. This is taking it too far. And what if this changes nothing?”

Of late Meredith had been contemplating stricter measures, of showing the mages that they could not continue this rebellion. It was that side of her, the small voice, that had her answering him. “I have requested approval for the Rite of Annulment.” 

The silence was great enough to hear a worn scarf drop. It satisfied that small part of her mind, especially as it seemed Orsino was too shocked to speak. The rest of her, though, reflected on how long they’d worked together. She’d just casually mentioned that she might give the order to kill him and every mage he cared about.

Orsino sank into his chair, looking a little ill if Meredith was any judge. “Why? You can’t...” It made sense that he looked sick. 

“Because when approval comes, it may serve as a deterrent.” Would it only be used for that? She wasn’t certain yet. She had yet to find a way to stop this downward spiral, and the rite would cause a definite end.

“You cannot do this. You cannot. It is going too far.” There was heat in the First Enchanter’s voice again.

Meredith raised an eyebrow. “I cannot? I believe there are laws that say I can. I will do as I must, as I have always done, First Enchanter. The safety of the civilians is paramount and I will see to it.”

“And what of those who have done nothing wrong? Do you know how many innocent mages you would sentence to their death by this? Have you considered that?”

She lifted her chin, looking him directly in the eyes. “What mage is innocent, Orsino? What one has never been tempted by a demon, or the power that blood magic offers to them? Whether or not they have given in, they have considered it, and that alone makes them no longer innocent.” Normally she would have opened up at this point, discussed possibilities, because a city without a Circle was lacking in some defenses, but it was harder to do so of late. All she could see were her failures and mistakes, the deaths that mages had caused in the city. Too many mistakes had been made and each needed to be rectified.

“We are not all guilty, Meredith! Those who have never practiced blood magic should not be treated as criminals!” He was on his feet again. Was that supposed to make his argument more effective?

She circled around the desk to stand very close to him. “Practiced. You did not deny temptation, First Enchanter.”

Orsino’s eyes grew hard. “You would have called it a lie, because even you have been tempted by things before and you know it.”

For the first time in longer than Meredith could remember she had no rejoinder. Temptation was everywhere and it was true that even she had felt it.

He pressed the advantage, closing the last bit of distance, glaring at her. “And yet no one thinks you should die for being tempted. Even when Templars are hardly backed into a corner. Do not do this, Knight Commander. You will regret it.”

“Is that a threat, First Enchanter?”

He wanted to say something that he felt was unwise. She could see it in the way his jaw clenched and unclenched, the way he hesitated even though he was clearly upset. The tension was nearly tangible as they stood there, an inch apart, and Meredith almost wondered at how the air wasn’t crackling. 

A knock on the door broke the tension, and Orsino sat back down, resting his head in his hands, as Cullen entered. “Knight Commander? A messenger from the Seneschal for you.”

There was more to say, but Meredith didn’t know which words to use yet. She hoped her message had gotten through, though. The mages needed to learn how to act. She nodded to Orsino before heading to the door. “First Enchanter.”

There was no answer as the door closed behind her and Cullen. Meredith was left feeling, as she headed to her office, that the issues at hand had just gotten a little farther from solved.


End file.
